Software testing

Software testing is many processes such as learning, experimenting through hypotheses, testing design, test execution, and collecting information about products, projects, processes, and ideas.

Software testing is focused on identifying risks and exploring the product or project to discover if those risks are real and a threat. Software testing offers a feedback loop for providing information that's been uncovered or for confirming whether expectations on how the software should work are being met or not. 

Software testing gives us an increased understanding for the team. The more we test, the more we know about the product. We uncover a fuller determination of the product's actual quality, and it can challenge the team's assumptions on what is to be created or what has been created. It can also help facilitate collaboration and communication between team members. There are many misconceptions that software testing is an easy thing to do, when it's not. 

Software testing is a craft that requires skill, insight and passion for learning. It can also be very difficult to describe the purpose and value of testing. It requires practice. 

Examples of software testing:

I define testing as the act of experiencing your software either through technical manual testing or automated testing to improve and enhance the user experience. — Jenna Charlton

Testing is the process of deeply learning how my code works as I write it and it's the most fun part of the job. — Meg MacKay

We're often asked "What is software testing?" by people who know little or nothing about building and delivering software. Here's a typical response. "Good question! I sometimes struggle to answer this but here goes. Think of all those apps and websites you use. Software testing is a thing people do to make sure you have a better experience when using those apps and websites.” And for people who know something about building and delivering software, I'd now direct them to this glossary page. 😃

Software testing is a way of providing information (and evidence) about something, allowing for a meaningful discussion / decision to be made on its quality*.

*Where quality relates to it being fit for purpose or “good enough” for now.

Software testing is probably the best job you might never have heard of. Only recently have colleges and universities begun to offer courses and programs in testing.  Unlike a lot of tech careers, you don’t need a computer degree or other qualifications to start. All you need is a desire to understand how technology works, curiosity, and a desire to learn about new things continuously. 

Software testing, by definition, is risk mitigation. A tester explores questions when testing and assessing the quality of the software they have been asked to evaluate: 

Testing discovers both challenges and opportunities with software that empowers those building the product to make it a better product for everyone.